1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicles, such as garbage trucks, that are used to collect residential and commercial waste. More particularly, the present invention relates to vehicles containing sensors for detecting the types of waste being collected.
2. Prior Art Description
Many neighborhoods have periodic trash collection. In certain municipalities, trash collection is provided as a public service. In other municipalities, trash collection is provided by private contractors. Regardless of who provides the trash collection service, the activity of trash collection remains the same. Trash, set in trashcans or dumpsters, is set out in an accessible area for collection. Trash collection trucks periodically travel to a home or business for the purpose of collecting the trash. Once a trash collection truck arrives at the home or business, the trash is either manually or mechanically lifted and dumped into the collection bin of the trash collection truck. As trash is dumped into a trash collection truck, the actual trash is rarely observed. If a trash collection truck has a mechanical collection device, the trash is never touched by a human operator, and is therefore not observed. When trash is manually lifted into a trash collection truck, the trash is typically wrapped in trash bags and again the actual trash cannot be observed.
It is illegal to dispose of many types of waste by placing it in a trashcan for collection. Hazardous waste, such as chemicals, pesticides, paint and the like must be brought to specialized collection centers. Many such collection centers exist due to the prevalence of such products in almost every home. Another type of waste that cannot be simply thrown into a trashcan is radiological waste. However, unlike for common chemicals, there are very few cites that collect radiological waste. Radiological waste must be collected and disposed of following strict federal and state guidelines. It therefore cost a significant sum of money to dispose of radiological waste.
Radiological waste is becoming more and more prevalent in modern society. Radiological waste is produced by hospitals, dentist offices, doctor offices, laboratories, universities and many businesses. Since it is time consuming and costly to dispose of radiological waste in the proper fashion, there exists a great incentive for radiological waste to be thrown away with ordinary trash.
Many types of radiological waste are a danger to all people who are exposed to that waste. Thus, if such radiological waste is simply thrown into the trash, the radiological waste becomes a danger to both trash collectors and to landfill personnel. Furthermore, the radiological waste can contaminate the trash bins, the trash collection truck, landfill equipment as well as the soil and water run-off of the landfill.
In the prior art, various systems exist that are designed to detect particle emissions from radiological waste. Complex detection systems are mainly used by Homeland Security personnel and Customs personnel to prevent the illegal importation and exportation of radiological materials. Similar detection systems are used at nuclear reactor sites to detect if any leak of radioactivity has occurred. Large versions of such detection equipment have been used to scan trucks and other large objects, such as railroad cars and shipping containers. Such detection systems are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 6,708,140 to Zerwekh, entitled System And Method For Detecting And Monitoring Noncompliant Interstate Transportation Of Materials and U.S. Pat. No. 5,705,818 to Kelbel, entitled Method And Apparatus or Detecting Radioactive Contamination In Steel Scrap.
Detection systems therefore do exist that a trash collection truck can be driven through. However, if such a system does detect the presence of radiological material, the entire contents of the trash collection truck, the trash collection truck itself and the truck's personnel may already have become contaminated. Furthermore, it may not be possible to determine where and when the radiological waste was collected. The people who placed the radiological waste into the trash, therefore, may never be held responsible.
A need therefore exists for a system that can detect radiological waste at the moment that waste is collected. In this way, the radiological waste can be detected before it contaminates the trash collection truck, its contents and its personnel. This need is met by the present invention as is described and claimed below.